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RESUME

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Professional vision 

Artist and ecosystem designer with thirty years of building experience, my professional vision centers around creating sustainable environments that spur design and life cycle impact with quality construction. I am committed to the next generation of exhibits, incorporating aquaponics, green walls, and living ecosystems into my designs. Additionally, I specialize in closed loop systems, permaculture, food forests, green building and strong visual aesthetics, all of which contribute to connection to nature and  community placemaking. As habitat specialist I am focused on the design and construction of animal habitats, generally in zoos, aquariums or museums but also in the natural environment on protected lands. 

Work​
experience​
Exhibit fabrication  and consulting

​2023

 

​  The in house experience has deepened my understanding of animal exhibit spaces as well as visitor engagement . Getting to experience the daily pressures on them has led to some innovations and new materials as well as teaching me to be adaptable and change ways in order to solve problems and meet deadlines. I love rehabilitating old spaces as well as developing new ones.

Work list of exhibits design and build in-house  and other places 

2021-2022

-IDS Lead Artist

2018-2020

-Heart of the Zoo 

2004-2018

-Willa wong station

-Kia exhibits

-Meerkats and play area and murals 

-Gila monster and river toad

-Axolotl

-kookaburra/lapwing

-stellar sea eagle

-ocelot-and holding

-flamingo play area

-fruit bats 

-sloth and tamadua

-Egyptian tortoise and tortoise.02

-python and cobra exhibits

-gorilla and orangutans rigging and artificial tree work

-patas monkey-rock and mud bank 

-tree kangaroo-artificial rock and trees

-zoomasium-kids play area and artificial tree and vines

-many other modifications to all exhibits at WPZ

 

 

Accomplishments
 
  • Playground safety inspector certification

  • Development of new animal rigging technology style and rigging for large primates

  • LEED

  • aquaponic design certifications 

  • Adaption of green alternative building practices  

  • Latest use and knowledge of safe materials for animal habitats

  • Assisting animal necropsy

  • Volunteer fish and wildlife 

  • Art donations to rhinos and snow leopard trust

  • Star bright scholarship volunteer rigging for chimp sanctuary

  • Development of new perching patterns  for positive animal enrichment

  • Curated show  to benefit azak at art not terminal gallery

   

Technical Skills
  • Illustration - Ability to communicate ideas and designs through sketches, finished digital and hand drawn  renderings. 

  • Sculptor - Larger than life or miniature, Theming and natural textures, foam carving. 

  • Scenic painting - Mural paint and repair, create special portraits, posters,TrumpLoeil, Decorative finishes, color discretion and color matching ,  ability to match existing and new finishes, HVLP spray systems, UV paints, faux bois, works in oils, two part urethane and epoxy paints, acrylics, cartooning, perspective drawing, airbrush and fresco.

  • Concept Artist-ability to take abstract ideas to tangible images and models.

  • Ornamental plaster -architectural theming ,building facades, stone and industrial ,nature inspired

  • Concrete - Design mixes, Forming,  slab and flatwork and themed pathways, ponds ,waterfalls, stream beads, playgrounds, patch and repair, casting, green sealers, integrated colors and acid stains. 

  • Fiberglass - lamination, forming, chop gun,  patch and repair, casting, gel coats and waterproofing.

  • Model Building-for perspective or scale larger to work from or  photo shoot -oculus medium, zbrush procreate

  • Casting and Mold making - props and reproductions, latest knowledge of materials and techniques.

  • Specialist Researcher-finding visual and or historical  reference ,sourcing materials ,intricate detailing

  • Material knowhow-epoxies, urethanes, polyesters, silicones, spray foam, concrete, plaster, prep of all painted surfaces ,green alternative sealers. 

  • Operator - lifts boom and scissor, forklift, teletruck, bobcat, small excavators.

  • Sewing - machine stitching, decorative lacing, leather and hide work.

  • Armature construction - Ability to read blue prints and models build to scale, use and knowledge of heavy construction tools

  • project management -zoo maintenance practices. knowledge of worksite in public spaces as well as building and safety requirements.

  • Osha training - osha 10,osha 30

  • Permaculture Design

  • Aquaponics design certification

Related Experience 

I have worked on exhibits and related work at these places 

  • Houston Zoo

  • IDS

  • Jolly Miller 

  • ​Cemrock 

  • Manmade wonders 

  • Portland Zoo

  • Nashville ​zoo 

  • Cincinnati zoo

  • Columbus zoo

  • Bronx zoo

  • National Aquarium Baltimore ​

  • many other private and residential works 

related education 

Permaculture design certification Tengari 2023

CPSI safety playground inspector 2022

Permaculture Design certification Verge 2021

Permaculture Design certification-CRMPI 2019

LEED Green Associate 2018

Aquaponics certification 2019 

Animal welfare training 

Zoonotic Training

BBP-current

Fall arrest training-Oct 2017 Seattle WA WPZ

Carousel Restoration-with  Bete Largent -Spokane WA 2017

Alex Grey painting intensive

NY Aug 2017

Dru Blair airbrush academy-NC 2016

Lawrence school of art-painting in the renaissance tradition-Seattle WA.2007

Illia fresco school- fresco and mural repair-LA.2002

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